The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) () is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

based in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs.

History

PIIA was founded in 1947 in Karachi in affiliation with the

Royal Institute of International Affairs Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ci ...

(RIIA), London, and the

Institute of Pacific Relations The Institute of Pacific Relations (IPR) was an international NGO established in 1925 to provide a forum for discussion of problems and relations between nations of the Pacific Rim. The International Secretariat, the center of most IPR activity o ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. The formal inauguration by the

prime minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...

Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...

took place on 26 March 1948. The draft memorandum of the PIIA was considered and approved on 28 September 1948. Housed first in the Intelligence School on Queen's Road, the PIIA later moved to Frere Hall and thence, in 1955 (when the institute's building was completed), to its present location on Aiwan-e-Sadar Road.

Standing

According to a research report published by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Programme (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania that Pakistan Institute of International Affairs have clinched position among top 20 think tanks of the world, PIIA has secured the 18th position among 95 other think tanks in South Asia and the Pacific region in 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report published on January 29. The PIIA stands high in ranking of research institutes especially in the context of Pakistan. Besides other famous personalities and renowned scholars from around the world, PIIA members have also been addressed by several heads of states and government from around the world including Prof. Arnold J. Toynbee, Mr. Justice

Potter Stewart Potter Stewart (January 23, 1915 – December 7, 1985) was an American lawyer and judge who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1958 to 1981. During his tenure, he made major contributions to, among other areas, ...

of the

US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...

and Mr. Justice Philip C. Jessup of the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...

; statesmen such as

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, Clement Attlee,

Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presid ...

and Ralph Bunche,

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

, Sutan Sjahrir of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

; and national leaders such as Prime Minister

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Ayub Khan, Prime Minister

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Zulfikar (or Zulfiqar) Ali Bhutto ( ur, , sd, ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو; 5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), also known as Quaid-e-Awam ("the People's Leader"), was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourt ...

, President

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

Zia-ul-Haq General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq HI, GCSJ, ร.ม.ภ, ( Urdu: ; 12 August 1924 – 17 August 1988) was a Pakistani four-star general and politician who became the sixth President of Pakistan following a coup and declaration of martial ...

, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Admiral Afzal Tahir and President General

Pervez Musharraf General Pervez Musharraf ( ur, , Parvez Muśharraf; born 11 August 1943) is a former Pakistani politician and four-star general of the Pakistan Army who became the tenth president of Pakistan after the successful military takeover of t ...

. In April 2017, National Security Adviser to the

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime minister of Pak ...

, Mr Janjua addressed an event arranged by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs.

Objectives

The institute is a nonofficial, nonpartisan, nonprofit body. Its objectives are to encourage and facilitate an understanding of international affairs, and of the conditions and attitudes of foreign countries and their peoples; and to promote the scientific study of international politics, economics and jurisprudence.

Areas of research

Foreign relations and diplomacy, security and defense, development studies, economic issues, political issues. Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, Armament, Disarmament and Dynamics of Security in the World.

Funding sources

Self generated. Rental income (80%), membership fees (3%), sales of publications(3%). Does not accept contract research. Budget (2000): USD 47,430.

Staff

Twenty one ( 19 male, 2 females ), including two in research, one professional librarian, and 18 among administrative staff members. ''Executive Officers'' * Masuma Hasan (Chairperson)Recognition: Dr Masuma Hasan named goodwill envoy
The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 16 July 2014, Retrieved 12 September 2020 * Saqib, Amjad (Secretary)

Periodicals

''Pakistan Horizon'', founded in 1948 is the oldest research journal of international affairs on the Indian sub-continent. (English, quarterly, exchange/subscription) Library: 30,557 books, 225 periodicals.

Research findings

All accessible. Some recent titles of Pakistan Horizon include: Kashmir (April 2003); Pakistan-India Relations (July 2004); Afghanistan after 9/11 (January 2006), Pakistan's Foreign Policy Analysis (April 2007), Challenges to Global Security (July 2007, Women's Concerns in International Relations (October 2007)and Founding Members' Number (January–April 2008).

Former research officers

* Khalida Qureshi from 1962, later director of research and editor Pakistan Horizon, a position she held until her death in 1983 * Ambassador Karamatullah K. Ghori *

Zubeida Mustafa Zubeida Mustafa (born 1941) is a freelance journalist from Pakistan. She became one of the first woman to work in the country's mainstream media, when she joined the Dawn newspaper in 1975. Early life Born in British India, Zubeida Mustafa mov ...

* Prof. Dr. Naveed Ahmed Tahir * Prof. Dr. Moonis Ahmar * Prof. Dr. Sheikh Mutahir Ahmed * Tehmina Mehmood * Dr. Samina Ahmed * Nausheen Wasi * Syed Junaid Ahsan * Nabiha Gul * Sanam Noor * Fizzah Ali * Yasir Hanif * Muhammad Adeel Qureshi

Head of Research

* Dr. Masuma Hasan

Former chairpersons

* Fatehyab Ali Khan, (1936 – 26 September 2010)